Article detecting mechanism



y 1960v H. E. ENGLESON ETAL 2,934,869

ARTICLE DETECTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l|NVENTORS HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMER D. SRAMEK BY 711 1 Iii/4M3;

ATT'YS H. E. ENGLESON ET AL 2,934,869

ARTICLE DETECTING MECHANISM May 3, 1960 Filed Nov. 8, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet 2 O F|G.6/C

NORMALLY OPEN ELECTRIC EYE cmcurr F NORMALLY CLOSED MECHANICAL 42DETECTOR FIG. 7 O

30 8 3| UNLOEDER HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMER D. SRAMEK Mum ATT'YS NORMALLYc'Losen ELECTRIC EYE CIRCUIT Unit 2,934,869 I ARTICLE nnrnorrno MncsMHarry E. Engleson, Chicago, and Elmer D. Sramek, Cicero, IlL, assignorsto F. B. Redington-Co., Bellwood, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Thisinvention relates to machine for packaging articles in cartons, and moreparticularly 'to a detection device which detects malfunctions of themachine.

Machinery for packaging articles in cartons generally includes a cartonconveyer, an article conveyer and a mechanism for transferring thearticles from the article conveyer to a carton in the carton conveyer.Should any of these components malfunction, such that a completelypackaged end product is not possible, a potential hazard is broughtabout which may cause jamming of the machine and result in costlyshutdowns or cause defective packages to be sold to consumers.

Devices for detecting the presence or non-presence of articles onconveyers or in cartons are generally well known in the field ofpackaging machinery, but detectors heretofore developed have not beensatisfactory for all uses. For example, mechanical detectors have notbeen satisfactory for use in sensing the presence or non-presence oftissues or soft flutly material, since the mechanical detectorshad to beadjusted too sensitively and were therefore not consistently efiectiveand accurate. Further, it has been found that mechanical detectors slowup the operation of a packaging machine. Wherein it is desired to detectthe presence or non-presence of contents in a carton by means of aweight detector, compressed air has been used to blow out an emptycarton, but compressed air ,is rather expensive to produce. Anothermethod of detection heretofore used was to puncture the cartons to feelwhether or not contents are therein, this method being unsatisfactorysince it not only slowed up the packaging operations, but leftpuncturing marks in the carton which are not desirable from thestandpoint of merchandising.

The present invention as applied to a packaging machine includes abucket conveyer for conveying articles to be transferred to a secondbucket conveyer conveying cartons, wherein a mechanism is provided fordelivering cartons to the carton conveyer and transfer means is providedto transfer the articles from the article conveyer to the cartons in thecarton conveyer. The absence of an article in any bucket of the articleconveyer is detected by an electric eye device which rendersnonoperative means for delivering a carton to a corresponding bucket inthe carton conveyer which would receive the article from'the detectedcorresponding bucket in the article conveyer. A second electric eyedevice is arranged in association with a carton conveyer beyond thetransfer means in order to detect the presence or nonpresence of anarticle in a carton on the carton conveyer, wherein detection ofnon-presence of an article renders the drive means for the packagingmachine non-operative to stop the machine so that the difliculty may becorrected before a jam might be produced by the machine or the ejectingfrom the machine of a defective package. Since it is not necessary tostop the machine if neither a carton nor an article is detected in thebucket aligned with the second electric eye device on the cartonconveyer, a switch detector is provided which renders the atent O iceelectric eye device non-operative if an empty bucket would be in linewith the electric eye device thereby precluding stoppage or shutdown ofthe packaging machine. Because the article presence or non-presence isdetected by an electric eye device, the speed of the packaging machineis greatly enhanced to thereby increase the unit output.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improveddetecting device for detecting the presence or non-presence of articleson packaging machinery.

Another object of this invention resides in the pro vision of animproved detecting device which detects the presence or non-presence ofarticles in cartons on a packaging machine, wherein the speed of thepackaging machine is greatly enhanced.

Still another object of this invention is in the provision of anelectrical detecting mechanism for use on packaging machines thatdetects the absence of the filling article in the article conveyer andthe absence of the article in the carton on the carton conveyer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a packaging machineincluding an article conveyer and a carton conveyer and mechanisms fortransferring the article conveyer to the cartons in the carton conveyer,wherein said conveyers and mechanism have a common drive means, andwherein an electric eye device is associated with the carton conveyer todetect the absence of articles in the cartons and render the commondrive means non-operative so that a defective package will not beproduced by the packaging machine and the situation can be corrected.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like referencenumerals refer to like parts, in which:

Fig. l is a more or less diagrammatic plan view of a packaging machineembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of a portion of thearticle conveyer and the electrical detecting mechanism for detectingthe absence of an article in any one bucket;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the article conveyerwhich illustrates the direction of the light beam for detecting theabsence of articles in the article conveyer;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the fragmentary conveyer of Fig. 3and illustrating the direction of the light beam of the electric eyedevice;

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged longitudinal elevational view takensubstantially along line 5-5 of Fig. l and illustrating the mechanicaldetector for detecting the presence or non-presence of a carton in abucket on the carton conveyer;

Fig. 6 is a schematic electrical circuit of the electrical detectingdevice on the carton conveyer; and

Fig. 7 is a schematic electrical circuit of the electrical detectingdevice on the article conveyer.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. l, a packagingmachine is diagrammatically illustrated which embodies the presentinvention. This packaging machine includes generally an article conveyer10, a carton conveyer 11, a transfer mechanism 12, and a drier 13.

The article conveyor 10 includes a plurality of open end and closedcenter buckets 14 equally spaced along and secured to an endless chain15, Fig. 4. Each bucket 14 includes a horizontal bottom 16, upstandingside walls 17 and 18 substantially perpendicular to the bottom 16, andhorizontalfianges 19 and 20 extending outwardly from the upper ends ofthe upstanding side walls. The

flanged side walls facilitate insertion of articles into the buckets,and articles are inserted into the buckets at the inlet end of theconveyor so that the articles may be conveyed toward the discharge endin the direction of the arrow 21, Fig. 1, and transferred from thearticle conveyer to the carton conveyer by means of the trans fermechanism 12. It is to be understoodthat article herein refers towhatever might be placed into the carton or the carton contents such asa predetermined number of facial tissues. Further, it is to beunderstood that the article and the carton are opaque in order to becapable of operating the electrical detecting devices.

The transfer mechanism 12 may be of any desired type such as a fillingconveyer wherein pusher members 22 are carried along in coalignment withthe buckets 14 and actuated at a predetermined time to transfer articlesfrom the buckets 14 to the carton conveyer ill.

The carton conveyer 11 is similarly constructed to the article conveyer10 and includes a plurality of equally spaced open end and open centerbuckets 23, Figs. 1 and 5, secured in equally spaced relationship alongan endless chain 24. The buckets 23 include coaligned I U-shaped memberseach of which consist of a bottom 25,

upstanding side walls 26 and 27 perpendicularly related to the bottom25, and horizontal flanges 28 and 29 extending outwardly from the upperends of the upstanding walls 26 and 27. Open ended and erected cartonsare delivered to the carton conveyer 11 by a magazine and cartonunloader 36 and a carton erector 31, Fig. 1. Collapsed cartons in thefiat are taken from the magazine one at a time by the carton unloaderand delivered to the carton erector which erects the cartons anddeposits same in buckets on the carton conveyer 11.

The spacing of the buckets on the carton conveyer 11 is substantiallyidentical to the spacing of the buckets on the article conveyer 10 andthe conveyers are driven so that the buckets coalign at the delivery ordischarge end of the article conveyer and the inlet end of the cartonconveyer. Also provided adjacent thecarton conveyer 11 and near thedischarge end arefiap tucking and closing assemblies (not shown) and anejector (not shown) the latter for ejecting a completely closed cartonto the drier 13. A common drive means is provided to drive theconveyers, the transfer mechanism and the mechanism for deliveringcartons to the carton conveyer in synchronism so that the variouscomponents of the machine operate together. This common drive mechanismis represented as a motor 32 in the schematic diagram of Fig. 6 and willbe discussed more fully hereinafter in connection with the detectingdevices on the carton conveyer.

Referring again to Fig. l, the first electric eye device 33 isassociated with the article conveyer it) for the purpose of detectingthe presence or non-presence of an article in the buckets 14 as thebuckets pass the device. The second electric eye device 34 is providedat the carton conveyer 10 for detecting the presence or non-presence ofarticles in the carton.

The first electric eye device 33 adjacent the article conveyer 10 is ofthe conventional type and includes a light source 35 projecting a lightbeam 36 to a photoelectric cell and relay 37. The relay controls anormally closed switch which opens upon encrgization of thephotoelectric cell and relay in response to receiving the light beam 36.The electric. eye 33 is arranged in a circuit with the means fordelivering erected cartons to the carton conveyer 11, and especially themagazine carton unloader. 'In more particularity, a solenoid may bearranged in the circuit, which controls the suction in the suction headsof the carton unloader, wherein deenergization of the solenoid rendersthe suction in the suction heads to be released and therefore rendersthe suction heads non-operative. An example of the type of cartonunloader which may be employed is more specifically described in thecopending application Serial No. 695,621,

filed November 12, 1957. Thus, as long as the photoelectric cell 37 isprecluded from receiving the light beam 36 or the light beam 3'6 iscontinually intercepted, the carton unloader will continue to operate inthe usual manner.

The electric eye 33 is so situated that its light beam 36 is angularlyarranged relative to the article conveyer 10 which eliminates the needtorclosing the open spaces between the buckets or for providing ashutter to work at times when the open spaces pass the light beam if thelight beam were transversely arranged for the necessity of rendering theelectric eye inoperative during the time when the open spaces pass itslight beam. As seen most clearly in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the electric eyeis so situated that the light beam will project, when aligned properlywith a bucket, from the upper trailing corner of the bucket on one sideto the lower leading corner of the bucket on the other side, or at theintersection of the horizontal flange i9 and the side wall 17 at one endof the bucket and the intersection of the bottom 16 and the side wall 18at the other end of the bucket. The buckets in Fig. 3 are empty and itmay be seen how the light beam 36 passes through the bucket while thelight beam 36a will not pass through the line of buckets when the lightbeam is projected into an. open space between buckets. Similarly, Fig. 4illustrates the left hand bucket as being empty and wherein the lightbeam 36 may pass all the way through to complete operation of thephotoelectric cell, while the light beam 36b will not pass completelythrough the buckets when the light beam projects into the open spacestherebetween. Further, the light beam 36c is seen to be intercepted whenan article 38 is arranged in the bucket adjacent to the left handbucket. Accordingly, when the light beam is allowed to project entirelythrough the bucket, it Will render the carton unloader 30 non-operativeto deliver a carton to the corresponding bucket on the carton conveyer11 which would align with that empty bucket on the article conveyer 10.

The second electric eye device 34 similarly includes a light source 38projecting a light beam 39 we photoelectric cell and relay 4%, Fig. l.The second electric eye device 34, being associated with the cartonconveyer 11 is situation to project this beam transversely of the cartonconveyer at a level aligned with the cartons 41 as seen in Fig. 5 sothat the beam may project through an empty carton. In order to detectpresence or non-presence of an article within the carton, the relayassociated with the photoelectric cell of the electric eye device 34operates a normally open switch in the circuit of Fig. 6 which is closedon detection by the electric eye device of an article in a carton. Thus,upon detection of nonpresence of an article in a carton, the electriceye device will hold the switch open in the circuit and stop the commondrive motor 32 which operates the entire packaging machine and therebyprevents the discharging of a defective package from the machine.

Since it is only desirable to stop the packaging machine when an emptycarton is passed through and not when a completely empty bucket in thecarton conveyer is passed through, a mechanical switch 42, Fig. 5, isalso provided in the circuit of Fig. 6 and operated by the detection ofa carton in the bucket passing thereover. The switch 42 is normallyclosed and opens upon detection of the carton in the bucket passingthereover by means of a sensing lever 43 pivoted to a shaft 44 arrangedbetween the opposite end portions of the open center buckets 23 on thecarton conveyer 11, Figs. 1 and 5. Movement of the lever 43 istransmitted through an arm 45 to the switch 42. A set screw 46 ismounted on the arm 45 and arranged to engage an acuating pin 47 oftheswitch 42. The lever 43 is normally biased to the dotted line positionas seen in Fig. SWhen not engaged by a carton by force of a spring 48connected at one end to the free end of the arm 45 and at the other endto a stationary frame member 49. The set screw 50 is mounted on theframe member 49 and associated with an opening in the arm 45 to locatethe detector lever 43. The mechanical switch 42 is electrically connected in parallel to the switch of the electric eye device 34 as seenin Fig. 6, and accordingly will keep the conveyer motor 32 operatingwhen not detecting the carton such as when the detecting lever 43 is inthe open spaces between the buckets 23 on the carton conveyer 11. When acarton is detected, the switch 42 opens and if an article is arranged inthe particular carton, the electric eye device will be operated to closeits associated switch and maintain the circuit to the motor 32 closedand continue operating the packaging machine. The sensing lever 43 is sosized and arranged relative to the electric eye light beam 39 that itwill be depressed by a carton in a certain bucket after the light beamhas been intercepted by that bucket and will be released by that cartonbefore the bucket has moved from the area of the light beam.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be eflectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention, but it is understood that this application is to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a packaging machine, an article conveyer having spaced open endbuckets each adapted to carry an article, a carton conveyer havingspaced open end and open center buckets each adapted to carry a carton,the buckets of said conveyers being spaced a substantially like distanceapart and the discharge end of the article conveyer being arrangedparallel to the inlet end of the carton conveyer, the conveyers beingcontinuously driven and in synchronism so that the buckets at thedischarge end of the article conveyer align with the buckets at theinlet end of the carton conveyer, means for delivering open endederected cartons to the buckets of said carton conveyer, the open ends ofsaid cartons aligning with the open ends of the buckets, transfermechanism for transferring the articles from the article conveyer tocartons on the carton conveyer, an electric eye device arranged adjacentsaid article conveyer to detect the absence of articles in the buckets,and control means responsive to said electric eye device for selectivelyrendering the carton delivery means non-operative so that no carton willbe inserted in the bucket on the carton conveyer which will align withthe detected empty bucket on the article conveyer.

2. In a packaging machine, an article conveyer having spaced open endbuckets each adapted to carry an article, a carton conveyer havingspaced open end and open center buckets each adapted to carry a carton,the buckets of said conveyers being spaced a substantially like distanceapart and the discharge end of the article conveyer being arrangedparallel to the inlet end of the carton conveyer, the conveyers beingsynchronously driven so that the buckets at the discharge end of thearticle conveyer align with the buckets at the inlet end of the cartonconveyer, means for delivering open ended erected cartons to the bucketsof said carton conveyer, the open ends of said cartons aligning with theopen ends of the buckets, transfer mechanism for transferring thearticles from the article conveyer to cartons on the carton conveyer,common drive means for synchronously driving said conveyers, saidtransfer mechanism and said carton delivering means, a first electriceye device arranged adjacent said article conveyer to detect the absenceof articles in the buckets thereof, and control means responsive to saidelectric eye device for rendering the carton delivery meansnon-operative so that no carton will be inserted in the bucket on thecarton conveyer which will align with the detected empty bucket on thearticle conveyer, a second electric eye device arranged adjacent saidcarton conveyer beyond the transfer mechanism for detecting the absenceof articles in the cartons, and control means responsive to said secondelectric eye device for rendering said common drive means non-operativeto stop operation of the machine.

3. In a packaging machine, an article conveyer having spaced open endbuckets each adapted to carry an article, a carton conveyer havingspaced open end and open center buckets each adapted to carry a carton,the buckets of said conveyers being spaced a substantially like distanceapart and the discharge end of the article conveyer being arrangedparallel to the inlet end of the carton conveyer, the conveyers beingsynchronously driven so that the buckets at the discharge end of thearticle conveyer align with the buckets at the inlet end of the end ofthe carton conveyer, means for delivering open ended erected cartons tothe buckets of said carton conveyer, the open ends of said cartonsaligning with the open ends of the buckets, transfer mechansm fortransferring the articles from the article conveyer to cartons on thecarton conveyer, common drive means for synchronously driving saidconveyers, said transfer mechanism and said carton delivering means, afirst electric eye device arranged adjacent said article conveyer todetect the absence of the articles in the buckets thereof, and controlmeans responsive to said electric eye device for rendering the cartondelivery means non-operative so that no carton will be inserted in thebucket on the carton conveyer which will align with the detected emptybucket on the article conveyer, a second electric eye device arrangedadjacent said carton conveyer beyond the transfer mechanism fordetecting the absence of articles in the cartons, and control meansresponsive to said second electric eye device for rendering said commondrive means non-operative to stop operation of the machine, and switchmeans for rendering the second electric eye device non-operative upondetection of the absence of a carton normally being detected for beingfilled by said second electric eye device to prevent rendering thecommon drive means non-operative.

4. In a packaging machine, an article conveyer having an endlessflexible bucket supporting member, a plurality of open ended bucketsmounted on and equally spaced along said bucket supporting member, anddetect ing means for detecting the presence or absence of articles insaid buckets, said detecting means comprising a light source forprojecting a light beam and a photoelectric cell and relay, said lightsource and photoelectric cell positioned angularly of the axis of buckettravel, whereby the light beam will project when aligned with a bucketfrom the upper corner of the bucket on one side to the lower corner ofthe bucket on the other side.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,103,302 Strout Dec. 28, 1937 2,514,946 Gagne July 11, 1950 2,645,396Spohr July 14, 1953 2,646,656 Wahl July 28, 1953 2,715,807 Trmscher Aug.23, 1955 2,750,722 Ferguson June 19, 1956 2,834,165 Bonebrake Mai! 13.1958

